Speaker Profile Thumbnail for Donnie Campbell

Inspiration for the TV Series Character, Ted Lasso

Donnie Campbell Speaking Fee: $10,000 and Below

Inspiration for the TV Series Character, Ted Lasso

Speaker Profile Thumbnail for Donnie Campbell
Speaking Fee:
$10,000 and Below

Travels From:
MCI - Kansas City, MO

Primary Topic Category:
Sports

Secondary Topic Category:
Inspiration / Motivation / Overcoming Obstacles

 

Donnie Campbell Speaker Profile: At A Glance

Coach Donnie Campbell is a math teacher and high school basketball coach from Kansas who was plucked out of obscurity when Jason Sudeikis, the American actor and star of the 5-time Emmy Award winning show Ted Lasso, revealed to Stephen Colbert on the late show that Campbell was in part the impetus for the lead character he plays with such wit and wisdom. It was back in the late 1990s when Jason played basketball at Shawnee Mission West and Donnie was his coach. Little did Campbell know that all of the pearls of wisdom he was dropping on Jason and the team would appear years later and make an indelible impression on millions around the world.

If the word “believe” resonates with you, it means that you are probably a diehard fan of the hit series Ted Lasso, which portrays a football coach from Kansas who is hired to be the head coach of the English Premier Soccer Leagues AFC Richmond. But did you know that there was a real inspiration behind this award-winning show?  Coach Donnie Campbell is a math teacher and a high school basketball coach from Kansas who was plucked out of obscurity when Jason Sudeikis, the American actor and star of the 5-time Emmy Award winning show, revealed to Stephen Colbert on the late show that Campbell was in part the impetus for the lead character he plays with such wit and wisdom. It was back in the late 1990’s when Jason played basketball at Shawnee Mission West and Donnie was his coach. Little did Campbell know that all of the pearls of wisdom he was dropping on Jason and the team would appear years later and make an indelible impression on millions around the world.  Today, Campbell has been busy making appearances on local and national television including ABC’s Good Morning America and NBC’s The Today Show. In addition to teaching, he is now speaking to organizations and companies about leadership and specifically, how important it is to instill strong values in the people you work with. He credits his leadership skills to his always positive attitude and to his mentors that prepared him for success both in the classroom and as a coach.  Campbell graduated from Lyons high school in 1980 and attended Kansas State University on a football scholarship and played basketball his freshman year. For the past 36 years, he has coached and taught math, but more importantly he has been building the confidence and character of the young men and women who have played for him.
“I have to tell you when we first met, I did what I’m sure everyone does and try to see the essence of Jason’s character in you. I certainly saw the resemblance but it was only after we spent time together that I understood what he most likely saw. You have a way of connecting that makes people feel like their best self. I’m certain you impacted his life in a more profound way and I felt honored to make your acquaintance in a similar way. Thanks for inspiring our team at our event and thank you for connecting with me personally.” - Phillip Gerard, VP Sales, Panduit “Donnie’s presentation was wonderful—and the praise from attendees has been filling my inbox all afternoon!” - Jenny Laffey, Director, Faculty Affairs and Career Development, University of Kansas Medical Center “Donnie is such a nice man! I loved his presentation as it resonated with so many people. He did a great job picking up on issues that the aging services field is dealing with and incorporating it into his presentation." - Andrea Bellofiore, Director of Member Services and Programs at LeadingAge Connecticut “Donnie was excellent! The group really loved hearing him speak, and he did a great job leaning on his notoriety while also charting a clear and separate message about leadership. Also, him coming to J. Rieger that night was just the best, people LOVED getting to be able to talk to him, take pictures, etc.” - Michael Hopkins, Chief Experience Officer (CXO), Vincue
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